After Tonight
by marisa94
Summary: Bella is living a pretty much content teenage life, but when she decides to throw a party.. everything changes. BxJac then BxE . All Human.
1. A Moment to Sigh On

**AN. My first fanfic :) with the overused highschool plot. :) Hope you like it so far, R.R appreciated ;)**

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A Moment to Sigh On.

Ew.

That had to be the most disgusting thing I've ever seen, I mean, as far as PDAs go.

There was Lauren the Whore grinding against Edward the God, in front of my homeroom door. I sighed and tried to maneuver around them, hopefully they wouldn't notice. Unfortunately, Lauren perked up and slipped her tongue back into her mouth, you could see Edward's disappointment coating his face as he did the same.

"Why hello Bella, and how are you doing on this fine morning?"

I sighed, Lauren had hated me since seventh grade, this whole "I'm the good guy" greeting, would soon be followed-up with one of her classic insults.

"I am doing very well today, and yourself?"

She glared at me and Edward looked away to face me from wherever he was staring over his shoulder, an almost smile appeared on his oh-so-kissable lips.

"More than well, you know how it is, waking up the day after--" She paused, but then picked up her sentence. "-- you feel so... rejuvenated."

_Ew._

_"_Umm.. that's great.."

She intensified her glare, but luckily the bell rang.

_Ah, saved by the bell. It's so cliche it hurts to think about._

Lauren sniffed and turned away, but not before she tried to trip me while I walked the remaining 3 steps to my Math class. I neatly dodged her high heel to my surprise and turned to see her familiar glare, that was really tiring me after all these years, but there was something new this time, Edward was blushing. That was strange, since when was Edward ever embarassed by Lauren? I mean, I know they've been going out for the last three years of highschool, and Lauren's slept with every male student above the age of 14 and even a few teacher's, but he's still worshipped her as if she were a goddess, or maybe the right word is Carmen Electra.

I shook the thoughts from my head. Who really cared anyways, even though Edward was my god, though I only worshipped him within the boundaries of my mind, I would never have an ounce of a chance with him. Not only was he attached to Lauren at the hip, most of the time, I was also 10,000 leagues beneath his. Here I was, a now small town girl, with long mahogany hair and chocolate eyes, how generic! Compare that to Lauren's and the rest of her skanks layered blonde locks and assortment of blue and green eyes. That was pretty generic too, but at least they could fill D cups. Not to mention their killer bods and fake tans. They already had they're reputation of experience, while here I sat a timid virgin, what guy wouldn't be drawn into that web of pleasure.

I chuckled to myself, and retired the thoughts. It wasn't usual for Lauren to actually get to me, it was probably because Edward was with her that I actually cared. I sighed, but then smiled as Angela walked into the class. Ah, Angela. My best friend and confident. We've been best friends ever since the whole Lauren incident, but even before that, we were still pretty close. She returned my smile and sat in her seat beside mine.

"Hey Ange, what's up?"

"Not too much, where were you this morning? I thought we were going to meet in the caf to talk about the project."

I flushed, I had totally forgotten about our English assignment together. "Shi-, Shoot! I'm so sorry Ange, I forgot! I was kind of distracted this morning, what with the party and everything."

"Ah, don't worry about it Bells, it's not due for another three weeks anyways, we're just nerds."

I giggled. "Oh Ange, what nerds throw a killer sweet sixteen party for themselves."

She smiled, "Well, there are some exceptions."

Our conversation had to stop though as Mr. Nebblen walked into the room, dragging his 40 year-old projector and slipping overheads onto the screen, citing us to take notes. I fumbled for a pen and began todays work. Polynomials, nice. I decided to go to my happy place, the party. Yes, Angela and I were co-hosting a Sweet Sixteen, since are birthdays were only a couple weeks apart. We were holding it at Angela's house, there was no way 60 kids could fit into my little two bedroom barely-a-duplex, though it wouldn't be a problem in Ange's Victorian Mansion. I was secretly jealous of that house, not the size really, but the grandeur of it. It was just so nice to admire, it hurt to look away. The rest of the class floated around rose and lily floral arrangements and five layer cakes. Dammit, Alice was rubbing off on me. Oh well, I was too pumped to care, the party was this Saturday and all my friends and their friends were coming. 60 was a pretty good turnout considering are school held about 350 students. The bell rang, interrupting my imagination, and I scurried out of class, but before I knew it, my face met the floor.

_Fuck._

"You should really watch where you're going Bella, you don't want to hurt yourself" I could hear the witches' voice laughing above me.

I groaned and got up, gathering my books well Lauren fled the scene. When I got up, a few of her friends were stiffling giggles and most of the guys were rolling their eyes in my direction. Then I noticed a pair of emerald eyes glancing in my direction, feet turned toward me. I blushed and scampered away before I could oggle the rest of his face. That's just great, another one of her plots to embarass me. I turned in the opposite direction still blushing from the lapse in my cool exterior, and tripped over the back of my heel. Though this time, I didn't fall. I was caught by a pair of soft but muscular hands around my delicate waist.

"Are you alright."

I flipped around in shock, and saw those familiar smoldering eyes.

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**AN: You like? Reviews are pleasured. Next chap soon :)**

**marisa94**


	2. Suspicious Much?

**AN. Updating a little sooner than usual, but I'm having a slow day :) This chap is shorter than to my liking, but whatev. Enjoy !**

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Suspicious Much?

"Hey Jake,"

"Hey Bella"

He leaned in to kiss me and I happily complied, letting our lips mash together.

Jake and I have been together for the last seven month. When I finally realized I didn't stand a chance with Edward, I settled for less, though I'd never tell Jake that. Besides, I really did love Jacob. He was my protector, provider, and somewhat lover, though I never let him go past third base. He told me he didn't mind though, and respected my hesitance. I sighed in his mouth, letting him taste my breath, thinking about how great of a boyfriend he was. He took advantage of my parted lips and licked his way past our kiss. I pleasurably obliged, but had to pull away a moment later after realizing I was going to be late for English.

"Jake, we have to get to class."

He sighed, "Alright Bells, I'll see you at lunch then." Clearly disappointed about our time and place. I failed in stiffling a rather loud giggle and leaned on the peaks of my tiptoes to give him another peck.

"See you later then," I said as I pulled away, but he pushed for more, nibbling my bottom lip. I smiled and winked at him as we went our seperate ways down the pallid halls.

While I walked, I noticed a couple stares and giggle in my direction. I peered to see the source of the hushed gossip and recognized a couple freshmen girls whispering about Jacob. My smile returned, I couldn't blame them, he was pretty hot, what with his muscular build and long, slick onyx hair. I sometimes wondered how he ended up with me. I didn't really think of myself as ugly, just very very plain, even though everyone tried to convince me otherwise. The only make-up I ever wore was a length of mascara and occasionally a sheer layer of clear strawberry-flavoured gloss. Alice always told me I should stick to my "natural beauty", not covering it up with powders and creams.

That reminded me, Alice. She'd probably be hounding me with a few hundred party suggestions. She was more excited about the festivities than Angela and I combined. If our name didn't head the invitations, you would have thought it was her birthday coming up, even though she just celebrated a huge epoch a month earlier.

I steooed into the class at the same moment the bell rang, and sure enough, there was Alice, as happy and bubbly as ever.

_Jesus, it was like caffeine ran through her veins instead of blood, but even that had to be spiked with something._

Fortunately, I sat in the desk in front of her, so I was able to ignore her whenever she got a little too chirpy. She would fume whenever that happened and switch to the silent treatment, a blessing. However, today she just beamed at me and remained silent.

_Huh? Another strange thing today._

"Hi Alice,"

"Oh, hello Bella."

_Hmm. What? No 20 questions... ?_

"How are you?"

"Exceptionally good." But she left it at that, not even bothering to raise her voice an octave.

Okay, I was starting to get suspicious, but shoved the thought to the back of my mind when she started doodling pleated skirts on the back of her notebook. That was normal enoguh, she was probably just designing a new outfit or something, and I had interrupted her creative outburst. I guess it didn't matter either way. Besides being a crazy friend, Alice was also Edward's sister, but tried to associate herself with him as little as possible, though it was peculiar how they were both outside their norm today... maybe something was going on at home.

_Ha, you wish Bella, anything to thank you knew Edward a little better, let alone you guys were on the same level._

I was right, Edward was polluting my thoughts today, I tried to focus on simpler and happier things, so I opened the novel our class was studying from as the teacher instructed, and started to differ within my mind the differences between adjectives and adverbs.

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**Reviews? Thanks love. :)**

**marisa94**


	3. Dented Locks

**AN. K, I know it's short, but I needed to update and am still a little fuzzled about the direction the story will take.. any suggestions?**

About 10 minutes before the bell was expected to ring. Alice cleared her throat in front of me and turned in her seat to half face me. "Bella, would it be okay if I talked to you at lunch, it's sort of important."

"Uhh, sure Alice, we always talk at lunch, everyday. You sit beside me, remember?"

"Just checking," and she turned back into her seat, packing away her things even though the bell had about 6 minutes left before it was set to ring.

When Alice finally closed her binder and arranged her things into a neat pile ready to be carried, the teacher announced in a hoarse voice towards the class that we could be let out early. I scrambled to gather my things and headed out the door, eager to stow away my stuff and meet up with Ange and Jake. Alice followed me to my locker, without so much as even attempting to strike up a hint of small-talk.

As soon as I completed configuring my combination on my beat-up lock, that had more dents than a something with a lot of dents (AN. I couldn't think of anything with a bunch of dents in it !!) from a year's worth of continuously dropping it on cold cement ground, Alice spoke up.

"So guess what."

I peered at her, intrigued she was finally talking. I mean, it's not as if I didn't enjoy the silence, it just wasn't right, or comfortable for that matter.

"What?"

She took a deep breath and then blurted, "Emmett has a crush on you!!"

My jaw dropped. How great was that, I finally attract a Cullen, and he's not even my flavour? I growled internally, so much for all the years of attempted flirtation... It had obviously landed in the wrong direction.

"Alice, I have a boyfriend, remember?"

"Oh right... "

She got that quiet, frustating look back on her face.

"Is there anything more you wanted to say?"

"No.. yes. No, no... At least, not now. In time Bella."

Her bubbliness returned after that.

"So Bella, about the party... "

I groaned, glad that Alice was back, suspicious about what she was hiding, and angry at myself for taking her silence for granted.

**AN. Sorry I didn't give much to work with, reviews? or hints on the story's direction?**

**thank you so much :)**

**marisa94.**


	4. In Prep

**AN. Is 4 days a long time for no updates? Probably, sorry guys :) Enjoy! **

**Thank you so much for those who reviewed, I love reviews, and I love you guys :)**

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The rest of the week passed in a blur, with no highlights whatsoever. Yup, that was life. My mood dampened at the thought, though I immediately perked up. The party was tomorrow! We (being Alice) had got all the decorations set up this afternoon after school. We would spend tomorrow picking up the goods from the caterer and spending hours getting made up (knowing Alice, it may as well be weeks). Yes, the schedule was all planned out. This would be my best birthday party ever, no matter how "over-the-top" anyone thinks it is.

I slumped into the haven that was my bed, and begun to enter an oblivion of dreams, exhausted from today's work effort. As the darkness was just overwhelming me, two hard thuds thump against my window. I groaned and got up to investigate the disturbance. I opened the window to see what the cause of the intrusion was, but there was nothing in my line of sight close enough to cause the noise. The tree branches of my front yard, were close enough that if I reached out to touch it, I could. I decided against my better conscience to grab a leaf from the tree, as a souvenir for when I woke up, to make sure this wasn't a dream. But just as I outstretched my hand, a sharp pain scraped against my arm.

"Ouch!"

I immediately pulled back, giving myself another scratch, though this didn't break the skin. I peered down and say the assaulter was a thorn from the Creeping Vines that run along my house.I growled and noted to myself that I had some immediate gardening to do in the near future, and rushed to the bathroom to grab a bandaid before I could inhale the aroma that was my blood.

After a once-over inventory check of my arm, I slumped back into my covers, soon wandering into a dreamless slumber.

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I was woken the next day by the ringing of my cell phone. Alice.

"Hello Alice." I managed to stammer.

"Hey Bella, are you awake? Good. I'll be there in 10 minutes so you better be ready."

I moaned in protest. "Alice, the party isn't until like.. 8! Why the hell would I have to get up at 6 on a Saturday morning to get ready for it? You're going to regret this, I'm gonna pass out on the dance floor and it will all be you're fault."

"Well sorry, I didn't know you could be so grumpy in the morning! Fine, I'll give you two hours to nap Bella, TWO HOURS! I'll go pick up our masks in the meantime, since_ I _do useful and productive things in my life."

The Masks! I was immediately alert. One of the best things about this party was that I finally had an excuse to buy the beautiful butterfly half-face mask I constantly pass-by on my route home from school. After Angela and I agreed on a masquerade theme for our party, I rushed into that store for the first time and purchased it, asking them to keep it at the store until the date of the party so I wouldn't screw it up with my plague of klutziness **(AN. For Bella's mask; visitez profile :)**.

"Alice, get here. Now!"

There was a short pause on the other end, then a "Muahahahaha".

Weird.

"See you soon Bella."

"B-" She hung up.

I rushed to my closet, then hurried to brush my teeth and comb the rats out of my hair.

Ding Dong.

I trampled down stairs, tripping on a step, but grasping the rail before I could fall. As soon as I reached the knob, the door was open and I was being dragged towards Alice's yellow Porsche.

_Pretty._

"So Bella, I was thinking.."

And so it begins.

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**AN. A new chapter VERY soon, this is way too short, talk about a bad filler :)**


	5. Limos and Ballrooms

**AN. I know, I know, all my chapters are unbelievably short. Please keep in mind this is my FIRST fanfic. I am totally not used to writing this much :) Bear with me, and enjoy!**

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There it was, so beautiful and glistening in the sun's fading rays. A perfect fit as well, and it looked so beautiful on me, I couldn't help to smile. Even Charlie spewed out a half compliment, whilst complaining how it hid my "pretty" face. I cared not though for such atrocities, for why I should, I wouldn't know. I tucked away the ribbons and smoothed down my gown. It was an opaque blue, princess halter ballroom gown. It flailed around my body, and moved with me so perfectly, it was as if I wore evening's sky, and it complimented nicely with my elbow length gloves and ballet flats, for there was no way in this life I could pull off heels. Angela wore a green dress with one shoulder, decorated with fabricated violets. We both had matching messy buns that Alice had insisted upon. Luckily she couldn't do much in the make-up department, thanks to the masks.

"Bella, hurry up, the limo is here!"

"YOU RENTED A LIMO!!! ALICE WHAT THE HELL!!!!"

"Don't worry, it's on me, besides it totally added to the whole princess effect you were working up."

"I was working up...." I stared at her with a intense sarcastic expression coating my face.

"Okay, okay, but you have to admit.. you look rockin', Ed - , Emmett is going to have a hard time keeping his eyes off you."

I glared, "I didn't know you were inviting your brother to MY party. Thanks for the update." I opened the door, "But the only eyes I'm working for our Jacob."

_And Edward.. Gawd I hope he comes._

"That's right," Alice worked up a half smile and pushed me in.

The limo was docked out with a virgin stocked mini bar, satellite television, and hot tub.

"Oh yeah, happy birthday, do you like your present?"

"You got me a present!" _The one thing I hate about birthdays. _"You already set up the whole damn thing, isn't that gift enough?"

"Nope."

I sighed, of course. "Well then, how am I supposed to like something I haven't even received?"

The limo stopped, and I peeked out the tinted windows to see Angela's mansion, decked out with elegant gossamer streamers and balloon bouquets.

"We're riding in it."

I fainted.

"Bella! Bella! WAKE UP!"

_Ow. Way to pop an eardrum._

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing! I just told her what I got her for her birthday! I didn't know she would die on me."

"Alice. You said you were just going to get her a gift card! How the hell do you think she's going to react! She hates gifts, it's childish really, but she does! You got to accept that Alice, your her friend!"

There was a short pause, then a hefty sigh.

"I know."

You could just hear the heart-break in her voice. Jeez, way to play up the sympathies Alice. _Maybe I should cut her some slack._

_No! What's the big deal anyways._

"Right Alice, what's the big deal anyways."

_That was weird._

"Okay Bella, if I give you a Aritzia gift card, will you wake up and not die on me?"

I blinked my eyes awake, and was welcomed with a squeal.

"That's my girl!" Angela pronounced. _Oh shit, the party!_

"And you didn't get a speck of dirt on your outfit, way to faint in style girl." My eyes grew wide, Alice, Alice, Alice. It would be quite the effort to keep my voice calm.

"Alice, I'm saving everything bad I'm gonna say for a wide open space, it's my birthday, so let's just go have a ball."

"Agreed," they said at once, they giggled, "Now don't we have a party to host?" We opened the doors.

_Wow._

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**AN. Trust me, this is the LAST and foremost filler chapter. It only gets better from here, :) Thank you so much to all my reviewers !! I love you to pieces.**

**Any party ideas?**

**marisa94 :) xxx**


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